Internal combustion engine



Oct. 6, 1942. BARNEs INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May 19, 1941 I nI;

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Patented, Oct. 6, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERNAL COMBUSTIONENGINE Neal J. Barnes, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii Application May 19,1941, Serial No. 394,211

3Claims.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines of theignition-by-compgzssion kind and has for one of its objects 't'd improvegenerally upon this type of engine and other objects being to provide apeculiar auxiliary ignition chamber in which a special piston operatesand has provision for its adjustment to effect the properly timedcombustion. Further objects and. advantages to be attained willhereinafter more fully appear.

The invention consists in the novel general structure and in theparticular parts and combinations and arrangements of parts thereof ashereinafter described and defined in the appended claims, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing illustrating a practicaladaptation of the invention, in which,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the enginecylinder, the piston therein and associated parts having to do with thepresent invention;

Figure 2 is a view, on an enlarged scale, and partly in longitudinalsection and side elevation, illustrating details of the auxiliary pistonand the correlated elements directly associated therewith;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing details of thescrew-threaded and counterbored portions of the bore in which the sternof the auxiliary piston is received and adjusted;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly inlongitudinal section, on an enlarged scale to illustrate details of theauxiliary piston structure;

Figure 5 is an inverted plan view of the bottom end of the auxiliarypiston with parts broken away to illustrate certain details in the formand arrangement of the compression rings of the piston; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a companion pair of the pistoncompression rings and a piston body segment detached but illustratingthe form of that part of the body segment which receives the pair ofcompression rings.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the numeral I designates thepower cylinder of the engine, the cylinder as shown being provided withexternal annular heat dissipating fins 2. As shown, the head 3 of thecylinder.is tapered upwardly toward the center thereof, or, in otherwords, it is of hollow conical form and it is provided at diametricallyopposite places with fuel inlet and exhaust valves 4 and 5,respectively. Fitted in the cylinder I is a piston I which is of thepresent invention is concerned, that is to say, it is formed with theusual, substantially cylindrical, hollow skirt portion and is providedwith the regular circumferential annular grooves for the accommodationof the conventional compression rings I.

The space I between the cylinder head 3 and the piston head 9 is themain combustion chamber of the engine, and, in accordance with thepresent invention, the piston head 8 is provided with an auxiliarycompression and ignition chamber I0 which is of much smaller size andcapacity than the main combustion chamber 8 and receives therein acompression head II carried by an axial stem II, which latter is mountedon the cylinder head 3 and said compression head ll being positioned ata definite distance below the cylinder head 3 so as to enter theauxiliary chamber III when the piston 6 is nearing the completion of itscompression stroke or its exhaust stroke, as the case may be.

As shown, the major lower portion ot the compression and ignitionchamber is of larger diameter and greater length than that of thecompression head II, and formed either substantially cylindrical, asshown, or, obviously, of a spherical form, as desired, but the entranceportion I3 of the chamber, in all cases, is substantially cylindricaland of a diameter approximately that of the compression head I I, thatis tosay, so that said entrance portion I3 is slidable over thecompression head II with a relatively close fit. In

this connection, it is here pointed out that the outer annular edgeportion of the entrance is rounded, as at I4, or otherwise flaredoutwardly so as to guide the compression rings into the entrance II asthe chambered portion of the piston head's receives the compression headI I and, too, the inner end portion of the entrance I3 is mergedroundedly with the adjacent wall portion of the chamber III, as at I5,to guide th compression rings into the entrance l3 when the chamberedportion of the piston head 9 is moved away from the compression head ll.

Preferably, the compression head II comprises a built-up structure ofseparate annular segments I6 which are superimposed the one upon theother and meet flatwise in contact with each other and. being assembledon an axial shank extension of the supporting stem I! of saidcompression head II. As shown, the segments I6 of the compression headII are secured between an annular flange I. provided on the stem I! atthe base 01' the shank extension I! and a retainconventional in allrespects except as a feature in: collar I. having a flared centralopening 20 just above described, is to facilitate the provision ofannular external grooves for the reception of the compression rings 23,which rings are preferably in superimposed pairs and the split portion24 of the one ring being set diametrically opposite the split portion ofthe companion ring, and, preferably, said split portions are diagonallyinstead of radially disposed and, too, the

split portion of the one ring is inclined in the direction opposite thatof the inclination of the split portion of the companion ring so that,should the two split portions happen to come in overlapping relation toeach other, due to the shifting of the rings in the operation of thecompression head II, the splits will be crossed whereby an effectivesealing contact is maintained betweenthe peripheries of the compressionrings 23 and the wall face of the cylindrical entrance I3 to theauxiliary compression and ignition chamber ID. The annularring-receiving grooves of the compression head II are provided byannularly chamfering one face of each of the segments l6, as at 25, andshown more clearly in Figure 6 of the drawing. This not only providesthe ring-receiving grooves when the segments iii are assembled on theshank extension H of the supporting stem l2 but the assembling of thepairs of rings 23 is readily accomplished by placing the ringssimultaneously with the assembling of the segments on the shankextension ll prior to the riveting of the end portion 22 of the shankextension upon the retaining collar l9 and the adjacent segment [6.

While it is preferable to rivet the retaining col- 7 lar 59 in place, asherein described, it is obvious that the same may be secured detachablyto the end portion of the shank extension I! by means of a suitablescrew or nut element, in which case it is obvious that the segments I6of the compression head ll may be removed and replaced for repairs orrenewal of the parts, as occasion may require. It is here furtherpointed out that it is preferable to make the compression head segmentsH5 in different thicknesses and locating the segment of least thicknessnext adjacent the annular flange N3 of the supporting stem i 2 andplacing the other segments of greater thickness sequentially andprogressively toward the end of the shank extension H, by whicharrangement the respective pairs of compression rings 23 arecorrespondingly located at different distances apart as shown moreclearly in Figures 2 and 4. However, in some cases, the severalcompression head segments l6 may be made of the same thickness. It ishere further noted that, in keeping with the customary practice, thecompression rings 23 have a certain amount of inherent resiliency andhave an original set so that their peripheries are normally outside thecircumference of the compression head H and of a diameter slightlygreater than that of the entrance I 3 to the auxiliary compression andignition chamber I0 whereby the are compressed and held under tensionwhile passing through said entrance I3, and it is for this reason thatthe outer end portion of said entrance i3 is rounded annularly or flaredas at M, and the inner end portion of said entrance I3 is made to mergeroundedly with the adjacent wall portion of the chamber to, as at E5, soas to eliminate abrupt edge portions or shoulders which might interruptthe passing of the compression rings into and out of the entrance 13,but by which provision and arrangement the rings are guided, compressedand eased into and out of said entrance l3.

With the compression hea i I provided and positioned as thus fardescribed, in the operation of the engine and the piston travelling onits compression stroke, and with the inlet valve 2 and exhaust valve 5closed, the fuel charge which has been supplied into the space in thepower cylinder 1 between the cylinder head 3 and head 9 of the piston 6is compressed in the usual manner. As the piston 6 nears the end of itscompression stroke the compression head it on the supporting stem I2 isreceived in the entrance I3 of the compression and ignition chamber i2,thereby compressing to a much higher degree that part of the fuel chargewhich has already been compressed in the auxiliary chamber it) and bywhich high compression the fuel in said chamber I0 is ignited, and assoon as the compression head H has passed beyondthe inner end of theentrance i 3 to said chamber the flame immediately ignites thecompressed charge in the combustion chamber 8 between the cylinder head3 and piston head 9.

If the engine be of the four cycle type, the main combustion chamber 8and auxiliary com bustion and ignition chamber iii are scavenged in theusual way upon the opening of the exhaust valve 5 and the travel of thepiston 2 on its exhaust stroke. If the engine be of the two cycle orother type the scavenging of the chambers 8 and ill will be accomplishedin the regular y.

To regulate the timing of ignition in. the auxiliary chamber i0provision is made to accordingly adjust the compression head it todifferent positions from the cylinder head 2. This is preferablyaccomplished by screw-threading a portion of the supporting stem l2, asat 25, and fitting the same in a correspondingly threaded bore 21 of anelongated plug element 28, which latter has its inner end portionexternally screwthreaded, as at 29, and fitted into a correspondinglythreaded axial opening in the cylinder head 3. As shown, the plug member28 has a tapered enlargement of its body, as at 30, providing an annularshoulder 3! at the base of its externally screw-threaded portion 22,between which and the adjacent outer face portion of the cylinder head 3is placed a sealing ring or washer Next adjacent the enlargement 30, theplug element 28 is provided with a polygonal collar 33 or other suitablemeans for the application of a wrench or other suitable implement forscrewing the plug element 28 into place and removing it from thecylinder head 3. It is also preferable to provide the major body portionof the plug element 28 with a plurality of heat dissipating fins orflanges 34.

By the provision and arrangement of the plug element 28 the supportingstem I2 of the compression head II is readily adjusted longitudinally ofthe plug element, even while the plug element is in place on thecylinder head 3, by rotating the supporting stem I2 in either directionin the screw-threaded bore 21 of the plug element, for the convenienceof which the supporting stem 12 is square, as at 35, or otherwiseprovided at its outer end for the reception of a wrench or othermanipulating implement. To lock the supporting stem in its adjustedposition, it is provided on its screw-threaded outer end portion with ajam nut 38 which is tightened against the outer end of the plug element28. In providing for. the longitudinal adjustment of the supporting stemI! in the plug element 28, and at the same time preventing the productsof combustion in the chamber 8 from coming in contact with thescrew-threaded portion of the stem, the inner end portion of the axialbore of the plug element 28 is counterbored some distance from the innerend of the plug element, as at 31, and with a smooth cylindricalsurface, to receive therein, with a freely slidable but close fitting,the nonthreaded portion 38 of the stem l2 next adjacent thescrew-threaded portion 21, the length of said counterbored portion 31,of course, to be at least of suflicient length to permit the necessarylongitudinal adjustments of the compression head supporting stem 12without moving the nonthreaded portion of the stem out of thecounterbore.

From the foregoing description and the illustration of the invention inthe drawing, it is apparent that an exceedingly simple yet practical andhighly efiicient structure is provided in an internal combustion engineof the ignition-by compression kind and particularly of the typeincluding an auxiliary combustion and ignition chamber is produced andin which is provided means for varying the timing of ignition. In thisconnection, in addition to the minimization of essential parts in thestructure and simplification in the means of adjustment of the auxiliarycompression head for varying the timing of ignition, it is here pointedout that by the peculiar form and arrangement of the auxiliarycombustion and ignition chamber I and particularly in the proportionatedimensions of the chamber itself, and the entrance l8 thereto and thecompression head II, the proper compression and ignition of that part ofthe fuel charge therein is uniformly accomplished and efiected atwhatever speed the engine piston 6 is operating and the only adjustmentin the position of the compression head ll being for the timing of theignition. There is a further advantage in the particular position of thecompression rings 23 on the compression head H, inthat, during the timethe compression head is within the entrance 13 to, the auxiliarycompression and ignition chamber ID, the yieldabilityof the compressionrings 23 permits of the usual lateral movement or .slap of the piston 6during its reciprocation in the power cylinder I, and thus relieving thecompression head supporting stem ll of lateral stresses or strainsthereon. A

still further advantage of the present invention is that the elementsthereof can be applied to almost any conventional internal combustionengine without any material alteration in the engine other than tosubstitute a piston with the auxiliary compression and ignition chamberincorporated therewith, which may be by a special integral structure orby having the chamber i0 attached to the piston as a separate element,and in the mere provision of a threaded opening in the cylinder head 3to receive the plug element 28 in which the stem l2 carrying thecompression head H is mounted with longitudinal adjustment. There is yetanother advantage in that, by

g the utilization of the present invention, lower grade hydrocarbonliquids and the heavier fuel oils may be used in the operation of theengine.

While the illustrated and herein described structure embodies apractical adaptation of the invention, it is obvious that considerablemodiiication and alteration may be made therein without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.The invention, therefore, is not limited to the specific constructionand arrangement shown.

What is claimed is:

l. Ignition-by-compression means for internal combustion engines,comprising in combination with a cylinder head and a reciprocatingpiston, in the space in the cylinder between which element the fuelcharge is compressed, of an auxil iary compression and ignition chamberarranged below the flat upper face of the reciprocating piston, acompression head carried by the cylinder head and having a packingengagement with the contracted upper end of the auxiliary compressionand ignition chamber.

2. An internal combustion engine, comprising a cylinder, a cylinderhead, inlet and exhaust valves arranged in said cylinder head, areciprocating piston for compressing the charge in the head below thevalves and having a flat upper face provided with a central openingcommunicating with an enlarged auxiliary compression and ignitionchamber in the piston, and a compression head adjustably carried by thecylinder head with outwardly extending packing rings of a diameterapproximately equal to the opening in the reciprocating piston.

3. An internal combustion engine, comprising a cylinder, a cylinderhead, a reciprocating piston in the cylinder and having a flat upperface provided with a central opening communicating with an enlargedauxiliary compression and ignition chamber in the piston, a plug elementremovably secured in the cylinder head and provided with radiatingblades, a rod vertically adjustable in the plug element, and acompression head carried by the rod and provided with outwardlyextending packing rings of a diameter approximately that of the centralopening in the flat upper face of the reciprocating piston.

NEAL J. BARNES.

